Name:
Part 2:
2.
Brainstorm a list of fish behavioral choices
that you could examine in an experimental environment. You should come up with at least five
. (example format: choice between x and y)
-
Preference for specific types of food (e.g., choice between live prey and artificial food)
-
Selection of habitat features (e.g., choice between vegetated and non-vegetated areas)
-
Response to environmental cues (e.g., choice between light and dark conditions)
-
Social behavior (e.g., choice between joining a community or remaining solitary)
-
Exploration behavior (e.g., choice between familiar and novel objects or environments)
-
Aggression levels (e.g., choice between aggressive and submissive behaviors)
3.
Working with your team, choose a behavior choice that you will work together to design a project
about. Write your choice below in the form of a research question. (example format: “Do fish prefer x or y?”)
Does the feeding behavior of female Gambusia affinis differ when presented with live food versus store-bought fish food, compared to male Gambusia affinis?
4.
What is your Research Hypothesis? (This should be written as a statement using theoretical terms.
) (example format: “Fish prefer x over y”)
Female Gambusia affinis will show a preference for live food over store-bought fish food, while male Gambusia affinis will not exhibit a significant preference between the two food types.
5.
Describe in 2-3 sentences how you will test your hypothesis. Be sure to include details about how
you will set up your tank, how many fish you will use (and what sex/size they should be), and what materials you will need.
Two separate tanks, each housing four Gambusia affinis, one tank exclusively female and the other male, will be identical in size and environmental conditions. Live food and store-bought fish food will be introduced simultaneously into each tank. Observations of feeding behavior, including frequency, duration, and quantity consumed, will enable comparison between the two groups, allowing inference of their preference for live food or store-bought fish food.
6.
What is your Prediction? (This should be written as a statement using empirical variables
). (example format: If I provide x conditions on one side of the tank and y conditions on the other side, mosquitofish will spend more time on the side with x conditions.)
